TQPICS OF THE DAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 59, 11 March 1909, Page 6

TQPICS OF THE DAY.

The opening of the March London wool sales cannot but be reMore of the garded as other than Silver Lining, satisfactory. Now that the history of 1908 has been compiled, collated, and filed for reference, it is pleasing to be able to record a better opening for 1909. The season of 1908 opened most dismally, and as the year rolled on, values dedin- ', ed and gloomy forebodings materialised. s While prices declined, stocks acciunu- ■ lated, so that in May there were 280,000 bales arrived in London, with no prospect of disposing of them at a reasonably remunerative figure. Spinners wanted the wool, and yet the state of trade was such that they could not take ifc. It was decided to hold over 80,000 bales of the 280,000 for better times, and, if possible, to arrest the decline in values; but even this step was considered to be insufficiently conservative, and 40,000 more bales were held back. Before the May sales closed, however, there were indications of hardening, and a decided improvement was noticed in July. Afc the November and December sales Americans bought freely, ami the silver lining of the cloud was revealed. There was practically no wool carried over for 1909, and now, with the improvement in the local markets in December, the brighter opening of January, and now the five per cent, advance for March, all seem to point to a restoration of 1907 values. The wool appears to be wanted, for there are indications, although somewhat slight, that trade is reviving at Home, and in any case the buying for the American and Continental requirements shows that spinners outside the British Empire must have more wool, and that they look for good markets for the finished product Last year New Zealand offered in London 380,000 bales of crossbred wools— the largest since 1902, which followed the memorable period when 40's crossbred to£s dropped to 7d. The outlook tor a rise in tlie price of wool m the •worlds market naturally interests this •country— New Zealand plays such a comparatively large part in the world's wool supply for so small a country. ■Prospects are not to say dazzling'ly bright, but the rise at the London March sales is doubly welcome when it is considered how inauspiciously the past year opened up. The money valueof the advance is small, but the moral value is great, for the news will have the result of lessening somewhat' the trying effects of the financial tension of the past few months in New Zealand. Captain Hugo's mention of 128 fires in m -rv- . . twelve months for To Diminish Wellington is enough the Fire Risk, to make the 60,0U0 . of the city area eager to lower that undesirable record. Wellington enjoys a reputation for bustling, but carries it too far in the matter of fire records. Yet Wellington is behind Lhe champion record-makers and recordbreakers, the Usnited States. Statistics of the fires in over two hundred cities in America disclose 4.05 fires a year for ■ every 1000 of the population, against 0.86 for cities of five European countries. This estimate gives 243 fires a year per 60,000 of population in American cities, and 51.60 for the cities of Europe. The fire loss in America works out at over three dollars (about 15s) per head in the United States, and to this must be added the direct or indirect taxation for the maintenance of fire brigades. Keen men have sought explanations for the vast difference between the destruction by fire in America and Europe, and they declare that the losses in countries of the Old World are comparatively small (1) because the houses are better built from a fi«e prevention point of view; (2) because people in Europe have a greater individual sense of responsibility, and (3) because the regulations governing hazards are more effective in Europe than in America. The Underwriters' Association in America is making very strenuous endeavours to educate the public. Literature is distributed by the cartload ; experts are engaged to keep an eye on water services and fire extinguishing equipment; a fund of over £200,000 is available for the rewarding of persons who assist in the detection of incendiarism. No doubt the chief cause of the outbreaks is a lack of sense of responsibility, amounting, in many cases, to criminal carelessness, and this dangerous trait is noticeable in New Zealanu as well # as in America. In fact, it is common in most new countries, and it will need much campaigning to instil average cornnjon-sense into the reckless, thoughtless elements of the population. Ifc is to be hoped that even the British. Labour party is The Doggedness able to appreciate of Mr. Haldane. the doggedness with which Mr. Haldane sticks to his unenviable task at the War Office. Whatever happens, he always comes up hopeful and smiling, and the happenings are rarely those which would inspire an ordinary mortal with smiles or hope. The discussion of the Army Estimates, which, except during the brief "khaki" period, must have been as pleasant an occasion for the average War Minister of recent years as a visit to a dentist, found him in his usual mood. Recruiting was never more active than now, so why should not the Minister for War be happy ? He warmly defended the decision of the Alliance Assurance Company not to employ any new clerks who are not members of the Territorial Forces. The action of this company is a welcome contrast to the curmudgeonly performance of many employers, who have put obstacles in the way of their employees' patriotism. If non-unionists or abstainers are legitimate subjects of preference, why not Territorials ? asks Mr. Haldane, and the nature of the Labour party's rejoinder is not reported. Dr. Rutherford's proposal to increase the efficiency of the army by reducing its strength "by 10,000 was* described by the Minister as "calculated to throw the whole of our military arrangements into a state of chaos." The House rejected it with the appropriate majority of 247 votes to 100, but not before Mr. Haldano had got in another delightful thrust by his reply to Mr. Wyndham that "the War Office was now ready with vital statistics and a plan of action in tlie event of conscription being enforced." This is a delightful contingency wherewith to confront the Radicals. The surest way to conscription is by making the hope of an effective voluntary force impossible. Ifc is therefore right that the Labour party should know that Mr. Ilaldane has the necessary alternative up his &leove if lie is foiled ,in his present mild scheme. There are scorpions in reserve, says the imperturbable Minister, if the best whip available is condemned as of the wrong pattern. In the course of his wanderings in the North, the Hon. R. The Call of the M'Kenzie, Minister Railway Routes, for Public Works, went over the proposed rival railway routes to connect Stratford with tho Main Trunk system, near either Ongaruo or Te Kuiti. The Ongarueans and the Te Kuitians had a desperate competition to kill the influential visitor with well-intended kindness. The men of the rogions about Ongarue gave " cordial receptions," according to the Auckland Herald, and the advocates of Tj Kuiti retaliated with more cordial ones. The Minister was tossed from "impromptu luncheons" to -'hop.-begr

parties," and the smiles of the contending raihyay folk were very winsome, and their praise of Mr. M'Kenzie's I qualities was without stint. It was long understood that the permanent way was to run from Stratford to Ongarue ; for several years men have spoken about the proposed "Stratford-Ongarue railway," but latterly the claims of the Te Kuiti junction have been energetically pushed. Ris believed in Auckland that Lhe Te Kinti route is favoured in offi- { cial quarters, but somebody has dis--.svered, of course, that "a promise was.tF.ade to put the line in the Ongarue," and the sturdy Mr. M'Kenzie has i said to has admirers that "he is ! not going to recommend the breaking of that promise." But the subtle Mr! M Kenzie knows that he is not Minister I for Railways. Auckland will bo probably "pulling" for the Te Kuiti country, and -Southerners may fight desperately for Ongarue. Much hot speech is likely to be uttered before locomotives get up steam between Stratford and the Mam Trunk. There is jubilation in Auckland to-day. The Registrar-Gen- . eral's figures show (While You Wait, that the combined rv r,-i , , P o P«lation of the Queen City, her suburban daughters, and her road district cousfns, is 93 544 which is less than 6500 short of the .beautiful 100,000. On the same basis of population Christchurch runs second, with 76,709, Wellington third wife 73.697, and Dunedin last with 61,279 Christchurch will certainly be glad to see Dunedin put in its place. During last year, when summaries of the fourweekly returns were published, Dunedin was placed in advance of Christchurch, and the City of the Plains was naturally indignant. An effort was made to fasten the blame upon the Registrar-General, but his explanation exonerated him. Thefigures which he now offers are on a different 'basis of computation. Auckland and Christchurch rejoice or sorrow in having a number of independent borough and road board districts on their outskirts. Auckland runs a Ion" way out for ite population, and the excursion is legitimate enough, for the inhabited areas run into one another. Wellington is .prevented, by the jealous hills, from taking in the Hutt Valley, and so will have to be content with running behind Auckland and Christchurch for a time. Still, the people of the Capital have the satisfaction of having the largest city population, though this feeling of joy is not shared •by those who dislike the congestion in the inner area.